


sweet artemis is fickle, just be patient with her

by Tatsumaki_sama



Series: The Odyssey of Bryce Wayne [9]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Superman (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Established Relationship, F/M, Female Bruce Wayne, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Humor, Jealousy, Kid Fic, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:21:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24057421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatsumaki_sama/pseuds/Tatsumaki_sama
Summary: Clark is somewhat hurt that the de-aged four-year-old Bryce doesn't seem to like him very much.
Relationships: Clark Kent & Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne
Series: The Odyssey of Bryce Wayne [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/672506
Comments: 15
Kudos: 412





	sweet artemis is fickle, just be patient with her

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my computer for some time and I finally had a chance to wrap it up. I was in the mood to write some fluff. Because de-aging is always a fun concept. I also remember reading somewhere that Batman was a fan of the original Green Lantern? So I thought it would be hilariously cute if this Bryce adores Hal.

It was hard to deny that the current four-year-old Bryce was rather adorable.

She still had remnants of baby fat clinging to her rosy cheeks. When she smiled (and she smiled often enough to make them blink in surprise), they could see a gap where a tooth had fallen out. Her eyes were wide and curious and innocent.

In contrast to her older self, Bryce was a bundle of energy. She was almost constantly in motion, twirling in circles, bouncing on her toes, moving her arms as she chattered away. Her hair was pulled into two pigtails tied with blue ribbons that flapped and wavered behind whenever she moved.

After getting over the initial panic of arriving someplace without her parents or Alfred and the round of tears that threatened to shatter the Watchtower's windows from where she hid underneath the controls, Bryce took to being in outer space pretty well and being surrounded by strangers with powers.

It was a strange contrast to the grim and solitary Bryce they were used to.

~.~.~

Hal was universally delighted and smug to find that Bryce seemed to like him the most.

And it was hard to argue that fact because Bryce's eyes always lit up whenever Hal was nearby and she hovered near him to be picked up by him.

“ Green Lantern is the bestest,” she would chirp happily as she wrapped her chubby arms around Hal's neck.

Hal would cheerfully oblige her, partly because he couldn't resist her charms, partly for blackmail material later on.

Clark did not get jealous easily but during those moments when Bryce burrowed closer to Hal, he felt something hot and cold simmering below his veins.

~.~.~

Bryce got along well with the others too. She didn't hesitate to reach out to hold someone's hand or tug on their leg or shirt if she wanted their attention. Most of the time, they were pleasantly surprised if not outright stunned that the young Bryce was rather affectionate and open to human interaction.

But one person she seemed to want to avoid was Clark, to his utter confusion.

She would duck her head or hide behind whoever was the closest to her when Clark tried to talk to her. The closest Clark would get to a response was either a tiny nod or a vehement shake of her head before she buried her face into the neck or leg of the person she was hiding behind.

It bewildered him and the others. Clark had always been the most popular when it came to children who would clamor over each other just to catch a glimpse of him.

The Bryce they knew was notoriously infamous for staying away from crowds and people, even from other Justice League members, though Clark was one of the few exceptions.

Clark tried not to let his disappointment show or to let the pitying looks from the others get to him.

~.~.~

Bryce was endlessly fascinated by Vic's cybernetics, to the bemusement of everyone. Clark walked into the monitor room where Bryce was demanding to be picked up by Vic who was hesitant and uncomfortable with the attention.

“ You must know Daddy,” she was saying.

“ I don't think I met your father,” Vic awkwardly said. He spotted Clark and shot a plea for help over Bryce's head.

Bryce didn't notice they had extra company. “ You musta. Because Daddy gives robot legs to people,” Bryce explained as patiently as she could. “ I saw him give one to a boy. And the boy looked really cool. Just like you.”

Both Clark and Vic had to grin at that. “ So you think I'm cool?” Vic asked, amused.

“ Yep!”

Bryce absently fiddled with one of Vic's fingers. “ Since you know Daddy, you know where he is,” she said. Vic froze and Clark inwardly winced. “ How come Daddy and Mommy haven't come picked me up?” Bryce asked in a quiet voice.

At that moment, Clark would have wanted nothing more than to sweep Bryce into an embrace and comfort her.

But Bryce then noticed they weren't alone and quickly buried herself against the crook of Vic's neck, saying nothing more.

Vic gave him a helpless look and Clark had to leave the room.

~.~.~

Bryce took to drawing everyone as colorful and messily as any four year old would. Diana called it the best artwork since the Greek painter Echion. Ollie politely referred to it as modern abstract art.

There were identifiable things that helped set things apart. There was Hal's green ring. Arthur's yellow trident (“ Or fork,” Hal snickered while Arthur glared at him). Diana's long black hair and lasso at her hip. Barry scattering lightning at his feet. Vic's red eye and metallic body. Ollie shooting arrows. J'onn's green skin.

She drew everyone and showed each and every one to them proudly.

All except for Clark.

“ Why don't you draw Clark?” Diana gently suggested.

Bryce shot Clark a look that would appear to be suspicious and wary. He smiled warmly in return at her, trying to appear less threatening and more friendly. Perhaps she felt intimated by him.

“ It would be nice to include Clark too,” Barry added.

“ All you have to draw is his big muscles,” Hal helpfully said.

Sighing in a deep way that no four year old should be capable of, Bryce frowned at the blank piece of paper. “ Not sure if I can,” she finally said.

Clark's smile dropped.

~.~.~

“ Perhaps she is shy towards you,” Diana offered.

She had spent the whole morning braiding Bryce's hair into intricate plaits and Bryce had ran around the whole Watchtower to show off her new hairstyle.

Except she seemed to be taking steps to avoid Clark, running out of the room if Clark entered it, to Clark's growing dismay.

“ She likes everyone else fine,” Clark sighed, trying not to sound petulant. If the older Bryce could see him now.

It wasn't that Clark felt superior compared to the others when it came to the closeness of his and Bryce's relationship – they were _dating_ after all and Kryptonians were infamous for their well-meaning possessiveness when it came to their loved ones.

He had just thought the younger Bryce wouldn't be so uncomfortable in his presence, leaving him flummoxed and uncertain as to how to react.

Diana gave him a sympathetic look. “ Give her time,” she kindly said. “ This Bryce is not the Bryce you are familiar with. She will warm up to you soon enough.”

He hoped Diana was right.

~.~.~

“ Again! Again!”

Clark did not need super-hearing to detect Bryce's gleeful voice the floor above where Barry was giving her piggyback rides. While flying with Hal was a joy, Bryce delighted in riding on Barry's back who was careful to run just fast enough to leave Bryce exhilarated.

“ You're so fast!” Bryce giggled.

“ Of course! I _am_ called the Flash,” Barry cheekily answered.

“ So no one faster?”

“ Well, Clark can run pretty fast too.”

“ Oh.”

Was it possible for that one despondent word to ache Clark's chest?

“ You don't seem very happy whenever Clark is around,” Barry gently probed.

There was a pause. Perhaps Bryce was pressing her face to Barry's back. “ He makes me feel ... ” – Clark leaned forward, trying to catch every word – “ ... Weird,” she muttered.

“ Weird?”

“ Don't know why,” she huffed irritably, sounding like her older self.

“ Why don't you try talking to Clark? Maybe it will clear things up?”

“ Nuh huh. Not gonna,” Bryce sullenly said.

Clark could only wonder what he had done to cause the young Bryce to react so negatively against him.

~.~.~

It was almost a relief when Zatanna arrived.

“ Hope she wasn't too much trouble,” she smiled at Bryce who shyly greeted her from behind Hal's legs.

“ Not at all,” Clark easily lied. The last three days had been suffocating and as adorable and fun as Bryce had been, it would be a relief to regain the familiar Bryce once again.

They gently explained to Bryce that Zatanna would bring her home. With tears in her eyes, Bryce said her goodbyes to the others, giving Hal and Diana in particular a big hug.

Clark had long expected he wouldn't get a goodbye, much less a hug.

Still, he was taken back to find Bryce standing in front of him.

She was frowning, hands twisting the hem of her skirts. She was deliberately avoiding making eye contact with Clark. “ Um ...” she started to say before cutting herself off. She huffed in annoyance. “ You ...”

Sharing a bemused look with the others, Clark tilted his head. “ Yes, Bryce?” he politely said.

After a long moment of struggling to speak, Bryce finally made a hand motion for him to bend down to come closer to her.

Confused but willing to acquiesce her request, Clark knelt down to eye-level with Bryce, wondering if this had to do with Bryce's earlier apprehension and reluctance to be near him.

Only for Bryce to dart forward and press a kiss to his cheek.

Several jaws dropped. Someone was snickering. Diana was smiling.

Clark's mind went blank.

Oh.

_Oh_.

Blushing furiously, Bryce scuttled to Zatanna, determinedly not looking at anyone else as Zatanna, shooting Clark a wink, led Bryce away.

“ I guess Bryce had a favourite all along,” Ollie chortled.

Clark, still lost in thought, absently placed a hand on the cheek that Bryce had kissed.

He just never thought he would see the day that a Bryce Wayne, secretive and serious at times even as a child, would ever openly and publicly kiss him in front of the others.

He couldn't help but smile to himself that once Bryce, _his_ Bryce, was back to normal, he would bring up this fact to her and tease her about it, hopefully able to gain as many kisses to make up for the last few days.

~.~.~

(he did and plenty of kisses were received)

(all in private, of course)


End file.
